Making chicken tasteful for dummies

[OMEGACOOK]

Hi

I am new to cooking and have been starting from the ground up. Most of the food I eat is raw vegetables and boiled rice and some poultry. I am trying to make chicken taste good without putting too many herbs or spices in it.

This far what I am doing with chicken is
1) boil the chicken and remove the water
2) fry the chicken is some healthy fat(e.g. olive oil) and onions
3) add some sea salt

Now the chicken is edible but it doesn't taste great. Can anyone
a)name a few herbs/and or spices that I can add and
b) when I should add them
to make the chicken tasteful.

Please note I only want a few initially because I am allergic to curry and want to gradually see what minimal herbs/spices I can use just enough to make it tasteful enough to eat.

Can you also tell me will the herbs/spices be applicable to meat, turkey and fish aswell?

Many thanks

[Big Daddy's House]

To me, that would seem hard to do.

[Kimchee]

I would recommend changing your cooking method. When you boil it then dump the water, you are dumping much of the flavor. Frying isn't a great way to add flavors unless you marinate or have spices in a breading, in my opinion.

Try baking or roasting. You can cook it with the skin on, then remove it before eating. The skin will naturally baste the chicken, and helps keep it moist.
Course, removing the skin is fine too.
Chicken in the oven likes almost any spices you want to try...
Rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper, thyme, any of the "rubs" or spice mixes, lemon,
onion... really almost any spice is good on baked/roasted chicken.
Do some searches on baked chicken recipes and see what looks good.
Add your spices before you cook your meat.

[mcnerd]

Boiling a chicken, to me, is only good for making Stock. All the flavor is in the liquid since everything is drawn out of the chicken and the bones.

I agree with the baking and roasting, with the skin on for flavor (it can be removed later). I often cook chicken (or pieces) in a slow cooker, placing vegetables in the bottom -- or balls of aluminum foil -- to help keep the chicken out the liquid that is generated. Rotisserie chicken with a simple rub is also to die for.

You can also experiment with a flavor injector.

[samue1eb]

I like using taragon on chicken. Concerning cooking method, I think you would be better off roasting or broiling the chicken. Also have you tried using lemon juice or lemon zest to introduce flavor.

[Big Daddy's House]

I've boiled some chicken to make some chicken & dumplings though.

[Mama]

I think you get the most flavor from a slow roasted chicken. Place 1 stalk of celery, a whole onion that has been quartered in the cavity of the bird. Put a couple of tablespoons of butter under the breast skin between the skin and the meat. Make a blend of the following seasonings and rub on the bird. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake at 250 degrees F for 2 to 3 hours or until temperature reaches 170 degrees. I'm sure you will find this chicken to be EXTREMELY flavorful!

4 teaspoons of seasoning salt
½ teaspoon of black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

[Chowhound]

I'm with everyone else. You need to change your methods a bit.
And I'm really with Mama. That's one tasty looking piece of chicken!

My guess is you are boiling first to make sure it's done, or cooked enough? That seemed to be a pretty popular method in different households when I was younger if the chicken was getting put on the grill. Folks just didn't know how to took it without it burning, so they boiled it so they wouldn't have to cook it as long. If the chicken wasn't heavily seasoned or sauced, it was flavorless.
So stop step #1. Go ahead and season it lightly like you have been, but fry it from start to finish. Brown the pieces in the oil, reduce heat and cover, simmer for 20 minutes or so, uncover and recrisp. Thermometers are our friends. I always look for around 180, which is overdone for some (preferring 165 thigh meat), but my method always leaves it moist, so it works for me.
And if you really want flavor, make a gravy from the pan drippings while the chicken keeps warm in the oven. Butter, flour, s&p... that's all you need. No additional spices and plenty of flavor.

I really like that lemon zest idea mentioned.

[Big Daddy's House]

That looks DELISH!!

[Mama]

Thanks Chow and Big Daddy!

[Big Daddy's House]

You're welcome.